TEXT SCAM
East Texas Professional Credit Union (ETPCU) has been made aware of a recent text scam targeting consumers. As shown in the screenshot, this version alerts recipients of a supposed $864 charge and instructs them to click a suspicious link to cancel or review the transaction.
Please be aware: This message is NOT from ETPCU.
We will never send a text asking you to click a link to verify or resolve account activity. Legitimate fraud alerts will come from a 5- or 6-digit short code, not a standard 10-digit phone number like the one shown.
If you receive a text like this, DO NOT CLICK THE LINK or respond. If you have already done so and provided any personal information, please contact a Member Service Representative immediately at 903-323-1238.
We also encourage you to monitor your accounts closely using Online Banking or our free Mobile App, where you can also use Card Control to turn your card on or off, set spending limits, and receive real-time alerts. Be sure to report any suspicious activity.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact us at 903-323-1238.
FAKE FTC CALLS AND LETTERS 5.2025
Fake FTC Calls and Letters
East Texas Professional Credit Union has been made aware of a coordinated scam targeting members through both letters and phone calls. Fraudsters are impersonating the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and falsely claiming to be investigating Amazon-related fraud connected to members’ accounts. In many cases, they tell members that an ETPCU employee is embezzling from their account and instruct them to withdraw large amounts of cash to “protect themselves.” Members are then told not to speak to ETPCU employees and are directed to either hand the cash over to a courier who will come to their home or deposit the funds into a Bitcoin ATM.
REMINDER FOR MEMBERS:
- The FTC or any legitimate government agency will NEVER contact you this way or ask you to withdraw cash.
- Never act on letters or phone calls demanding secrecy or threatening your accounts.
- Never give personal or financial information to unknown callers.
- Always verify suspicious communications by calling the agency directly using verified numbers—not the ones provided in the message.
RED FLAGS IN LETTER:
- Falsely claims to be from the FTC (Federal Trade Commission)
- Reference’s identity theft involving a bank or credit union
- Mentions unauthorized activity and urges secrecy
- Names a fake officer and provides a fraudulent phone number
- Promises reimbursement in exchange for cooperation with a “confidential investigation”
We are committed to protecting our members. If you receive this letter or a similar communication, do not respond or take any action. Contact ETPCU’s Fraud Department immediately before considering any requests or instructions from the sender.
Contact us at 903.323.0230 or 800.256.5009.
Stay alert and informed about the latest fraud trends on our website:
https://www.etpcu.org/connect/resources/alerts
East Texas Professional Credit Union (ETPCU) has been made aware of a recent text scam targeting members. In this version, recipients are alerted about an “unusual charge” on their account and are directed to a suspicious link for resolution.
Please note: These messages ARE NOT from ETPCU. We will NEVER send a text asking you to click a link to verify or resolve account activity. Legitimate fraud alerts will come from a 5- or 6-digit short code, not a standard phone number.
If you receive a text like this, DO NOT CLICK THE LINK or respond. If you have already done so and provided any personal information, please contact a Member Service Representative immediately at 903-323-1238.
We also encourage you to monitor your accounts closely using Online Banking or our free Mobile App and report any suspicious activity.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact us at 903-323-1238.
TEXT SCAM 4.2025
East Texas Professional Credit Union (ETPCU) was notified of a text scam. In this scam, the target receives a text informing them of a payment made from their account. There is a link to click if you did not authorize the payment.
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These texts ARE NOT from ETPCU. We will NEVER text you and ask you to click a link. A Fraud Alert will also not come from a phone number. It will typically come from a short 5 or 6-digit number.
If you receive a text of this nature, please DO NOT RESPOND. If you have already clicked the link and provided information, please contact a Member Service Representative at 903-323-1238 immediately. In addition, please watch your account closely via Online Banking or our free Mobile App for any unauthorized activity.
If you have any other questions or concerns regarding this matter, please contact us at 903-323-1238.
East Texas Professional Credit Union (ETPCU) was notified of a new fraudulent text scam targeting Apple iPhone users. In this scam, the criminals send a text message from “Apple Support” to the iPhone user. There is a link within the text message to contact Apple Support / Billing (see image below). When the iPhone user clicks on the link, spyware is launched and gives the criminals total control of the iPhone device. The criminals then access the mobile wallet on the phone (if the device has a card loaded for mobile payments) and proceed to make purchases until the funds in the account are depleted or the daily limit is reached.
The criminals then call the victim requesting additional funds. The criminals provide images of the iPhone users driver license and social security number. The criminals use this to imply that they have access to the victim’s other financial information as well in an attempt to extort additional money.
The criminals in this scam have a heavy foreign accent. We assume they are working out of a call center, but the location is unknown. If you receive this text, please DO NOT RESPOND and delete it immediately. If you have already clicked the link and are an ETPCU member, please contact a Member Service Representative at 903-323-1238 in order to have your account blocked immediately.
Should you have any other questions or concerns regarding this matter, please contact us at 903-323-1238.
East Texas Professional Credit Union (ETPCU) was notified of a text scam targeting debit card users. In this scam, scammers obtain a list of debit card numbers and names through criminal actions. The scam starts when the criminals attempt a fraudulent transaction using the stolen debit card. The cardholder then receives a legitimate text attempting to validate the fraudulent debit card transaction. After the cardholder confirms the transaction is fraudulent, the criminal quickly calls from 903.704.9062 and claims to represent the ETPCU Fraud Department in an attempt to obtain personally identifiable information. The caller has a heavy foreign accent. These texts and calls ARE NOT from ETPCU. We will NEVER text you and then quickly call to verify your debit card information.
Here are some important tips to protect yourself from fraud:
• Our ETPCU staff may ask you for your social security number or member number to verify your identity over the phone when you call us, but we will never ask for these when we call you.
• Do not respond to unsolicited requests (of any kind) for personally identifiable information including your social security number, PIN, account number, driver license number, or passwords.
• Be wary of unsolicited calls regarding fraudulent activity on your account. Criminals can use phone numbers which appear to come from a legitimate financial institution. If a call or text is received regarding possible fraud or unauthorized transfers, do not respond directly.
• If you believe a phone call could be a phishing scam, hang up immediately and verify that the person works for the company they claim to work for by calling them back through an official phone number. For ETPCU, you may call us at 903-323-0230 or 800-256-5009.
If you receive a call of this nature, please DO NOT RESPOND and hang up immediately. If you have already provided the requested information, please contact a Member Service Representative at 903-323-1238 in order to have your card blocked immediately. You may also utilize the Card Controls tab in the free Mobile App to turn off access to the card. In addition, please watch your account closely via Online Banking or our free Mobile App for any unauthorized debit card activity.
If you have any other questions or concerns regarding this matter, please contact us at 903-323-1238.
